Community Water Literacy of Sacred Natural Sites

Abstract

Water is an essential component of Balinese daily life, particularly in the spiritual realm, where holy water is required for rituals. This research employ descriptive analysis to describe water literacy among Hindu Balinese community, based on indigenous concepts related to sacred natural sites and sustainable groundwater management. To address this issue, a survey of 139 Balinese adults was undertaken in SARBAGITA (Denpasar Regency, Badung Regency, Gianyar Regency, and Tabanan Regency). According to the findings, the indigenous community network raised community awareness toward water management of sacred natural sites. They must be created and implemented because attitudes are shaped by knowledge of water management issues. In order to create and implement community water literacy and guide policy decisions on indigenous water resource management, more awareness and focused extension support are required. For further research, focusing on future education-based interventions should be based on specific policy decisions to include indigenous water knowledge in school curriculum and groundwater management methods, rather than simply sharing knowledge and raising awareness to achieve groundwater management sustainability.